Labyrinth packing



Jan. 11, 1949. & EGAY R 2,458,988

LAB YRINTH PACKING Filed April 2, 1945- INVENTUR. GEORGE F. GAVE}? A T TORNE) preferred embodiment of my invention, and

Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT.-. OFFICE 2,458,988 v I LABYRINTH Pac mG f George F. Gayer, Palo Alto, Calif. assignongby mesne assignments, to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, EastIittsburgb Pa. v

Application April 2, 1945; Serial 'No. 586,109 l 1 Claim. (o1.'2se -10 My present invention relates to an improved labyrinth type of seal or packing means for me clearance space between two relatively rotating parts ormembers, such as are found in fluid pressure turbines and the like, and more particu- I .larly it relates to labyrinth seal forming member having an improved means for securing the a parts thereof in an operative position upon a supporting member.

An object of the invention is to provide a laby- 1 rinth type sealing means for the clearance space between two relatively rotating members in which a novel and improved means is provided for securing a seal forming strip of metal in a groove formed in its supporting member.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved labyrinth type sealing strip for the clearance between two relatively rotating members which can be assembled and handled as a unitary element. I

Another objectof the invention is to provide a new and novel labyrinth type of seal forming means for the clearance space between two relatively rotating members in which the sealing means is composed of two parts welded together and of such proportions that the sealing means,

and its securing means, may be handled and positioned in a retaining groove as an integral un'it, after which one of said parts maybe deformed to secure the unit so formed firmly to a supporting member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part evident to those skilled in the art, and in part pointed out hereinafter in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitaconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a seal forming unit constructed in accordance with the Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary viewsshowingother methods that I may use to secure the parts together.

I The problempf providing packings. or seals of; the so-called labyrinthtype in the clearance space about rotating. shafts and/or between relatively rotating members, such as are found in impulse and reaction type turbines, and about balancing or dummy pistons often used in such units, has been given considerable attention by engineers inthe past and many forms of sealing means havebeen proposed- In some instances the sealing. means comprises aseries of labyrinth forming strips of tapering cross-section to pror ,videknife edgesthat may be subjectto some wear inthe, event of inadvertent contact with a relatively moving. party However, in some instances .thesefsealingstrips have been made: of uniform thickness, and in accordance with my present invention I, for the purpose of simplifying the construction and avoiding the expense incidental to a total tapering of thesestrips, prefer to use a strip of metal of uniform thickness and taper only the outer edgethereof. The .art abounds withjvarious different arrangements by which the labyrinth seal forming strips of the seal or packing are secured upon their supporting member. ;In some. cases the sealing strips or fins are bent along ,theirsecured edge by a curling thereof, or by theformation of a right-angled flange thereupon which is adapted to engage or interlock with a deformable metalsecuring member. In these instances when the deformable member is deformed,as by caulking, it is generally caused .to' also engage with an undercut groove in the farsid'ezof a recess into which the sealing strip isfirmly secured to its support. In all of these earlier arrangements the seal forming member is formed as a separate piece, apart from the caulking strip used to secure it into a retaining groove. This, therefore, means that in positionjing these members in such a recess or groove of .;a supporting member, and the final securing uf the same in the recess with the caulking strip, there is involved some difiiculty, due to the fact that two individualparts must be handled, po-

sitioned' and held properly with respect to each other during the caulking operation. To overcome this difficultyand also eliminate the necessityfor any special upsettingat the secured edge of the sealing strips, I propose;by my invention, to'formthe sealing strip and the caulking strip as an integral unit by welding or brazing the :caulking strip directly to one side of the seal forming strip or member prior to its assembly upon asupporting member, In the formation by the spot welding method, it will be understood thatthese members maybesecuredi together by other means and other forms of welding.

For a better understanding of the invention-- reference is now had to the accompanying drawing where, in Figure 1, the numeral I designates a stationary member throughwhich a to tating member or shaft H is extended-with a a substantial clearance space l2 therebetween.

The member in has a series .ofrdovetail groovesor recesses l3 arranged in spaced relation along.

the clearance space l2, and in each of these dovetail grooves I3 there is disposed against one side thereof a. or-seali-formingmember t4- that is of tapering cross-section so as to prov-ideaknife edge. Each of the-grooves l3 is also'here shown as having a. metal' ring 'lilengaging the -other side thereoi which is d'efor'med by caulking so as tocompletely occupy the dovetail grooves" t3 and :thus. secure the -seal forming members or fin Ht firmly place. Ina. this 'illustrati'onthe shaft I I1 is also shown as: having annular grooves or: recesses 116*: formed?- therein and positioned opposite the; fins. or seal forming members i 4 But, it. should be explainedthat-"these grooves f6 1 are not: an essential requirement." However; they may be. found advantageous Iundercertainconditions .of operation; and in other instances it will be found that a m'ore-eiiective sealmay result if the seal forming members or fins- W are extended into these grooves or recesses 16' so-a-s to thereby form a more. tortuous path-for the-flow of any high pressure steam or' like fluid axially through the space- I25 I In Figure-"2: .ofthes. drawingl have shown a number of sealing stripsg des'ignatedby'the numeral .i l, which, unlike r the: sealformingstrips or: fins- 14:, area of. uniform thickness; and in this view one of the deformable metal-members or caulking strips .I'E'i's shown in=its uncfei'ormed condition andl as weltle'di to one-side oiassociated seal forming strip or'ii'n H. The thickness. of the .deformable' caulkin-g strip li is such as to permitits easy. insertiom. with \the: seal forming member or fintI'firml-y attached; into the' recess 0r dovetaih grooves l3: At. this point-it wilt be noteot that: the donetaitgrooves F3 are here shown as undercut along: only one side. This-willleave a substantially transversezon vertically extending wallat the: other side-of each of the recesses 01" grooves. t3: a-gamst'which the-fins: or seal forming members tlimay be positioned and held transverse to! the oi the rotating member. the dovetail groovesrl SifOrmedJn thisma-Imer; all

deformation otth'ecaulkingistnipsz i *.wi l l occur one direction: and. the result: will. be a. firm secur ing. of the fins; or :seaL iorming members 'll'l-Iupon the member tlli ..I t.:.wi=ll.b1e1 appreciatedhthat the deliormation of these caulking. strips t5! may. be effected in. .ELIIYi'GOXLVBI'IiGlMS mannens In:: this figure or the:drawing lihave illustratedz thiszoperae tion as being: carried: ouittwritli. a. siimplmcaulki mg tool. t8 whi'clrrhas" Ia, strip deforming: endirof a shape and size thahxwill'fproduce-rtheproper cle formation without. breaking" Ethel bond: between the caulking 'stripsrfi andrthe'seah formingstrilps or'fins'l'l. a

In the luseofivlabyrintn; packihesmm. the chanacter here disclosed, it is the general custom, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, to mount the seal forming strips or fins upon the stationary one of the two relatively rotating members between which a packing or sealing is desired, and to render this possible, the sealing strip supporting member, here designated by the numeral 19, is generally formed in: two halves which can be easily assembled about a rotating member. The sealing strip supporting member 19 is shown as having six grooves or recesses 20 into three of there are mounted seal forming strips 2| that are secured in place by deformable caulking stripsiz in the; manner described above.

l'n 'the practiceof my invention the seal forming" strips or fins l4, ll and/or 2| are first cut flHfiL' Shfl-PEdillQ fit the particular circumference of the grooves into which they are to be mounted. Next; the caulking strips l3, (5 and/or 22 are cut and shaped to conform to the size and curvat llre'oi the'seai fiormingstrips and the groove or recess-withtwhi'ch-they aretobe used, and then,

'thesetwcv. membersror strips are welded or otherwise permanentlysecured together. After this op'oration the seal forming strips, with the caulkin'gustrips attached, may. be handled as; a unit duringthesmounting; of the seal formingv strips upon .a supporting: member... By this procedure the handling of parts is reduced: and, as a more important adivantageathe formerly difficult and 'fieriredr Il'l'BflHSIfOF securing the sealing strip and theicaiulkingtstripi together, but in Figures 5 and 61 of therdmawing I" show? two. other arrangements that mayberconsidereda as. contemplated by my invention.

Asshown; :irni'iigure: 5. of the drawing, one of these arrangements contemplatesan upsetting of theisealli ng'stripzzliratz spaced points near its seedgezwithza'punchg. at the points '24-, an amountsznficien-iz toleifectla tacking of the sealing strip Mto 'theicaulking stripfli In this manner,

in addition::toroperating to tack the parts 2| andnZQ.togethergethereswill be provided raised portions'suptm; thezsurfiaces oi" the sealing strip 21 which will present a shear resisting projection upon atheisealirrg strip: 2ririthat will prevent any relative.moyementhbetweenthese parts after the caulking strip has been finally eaulked into a supporting recess.

Theiarranig'ement shown in Figure 6 contemplatesa neverse'oafi the above operation that'the caulking strip 22 is subjected to a punching force which extenclh portions 25 thereof through a; series ofvspaced apertures 25' formed near the secured edge: of the seali ng' strip it. Inthis latten arrangement]? may also peen over the portions 25 s as to more securely tack the parts zt randz-fizfiogethen Itiwillvb'enoted that-in these latter figures of thedrawingth tapering of the sealing strips MS is. located: on: meside ofthe sealingstrip- 2| opposite to that upon which the tapering is shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and it isdesired to claim it so that all such changes as come Within the scope of the appended claim are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I 15 Number claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In labyrinth packing wherein sealing strips are fastened in circumferentially-extending grooves, of a carrying member, said packing comprising a; plurality of circumferential assemblies fastened in holding member grooves and each assembly; including segments disposed circumferentially in end-to-end relation, each segment having its outer radius suitable to bottom in its holding=.

member groove and including a sealing strip com 25 segment.

GEORGE F. GAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 898,257 Parsons et a1. Sept. 8, 1908 940,778 Barton Nov. 23, 1909 1,419,927 Hodgkinson June 20, 1922 1,708,044 Baumann Apr. 9, 1,929 3 20 2,020,986 Anoschenko Nov. 12, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 466,405 Great Britain 1937 601,089 Germany 1934 

